PointsMap helps Riverbend patrons navigate the festival.ABOUT POINTSMAP• All the points on the map are organized into categories in a table of contents.• When a viewer selects a category in the table of contents, all of the points in the category are highlighted.• Visitors can use the search function by typing in keywords.• A built-in distance finder allows the viewer to find out the distance from any point selected to another point of the map down to tenths of a mile.• PointsMap includes a "Go Inside" feature that gives viewers the option of taking a virtual tour of any point on the map.• Sub-maps linked to the point allows the viewer to see floor plans with seating charts, vendor locations, entrances and exits, restroom facilities, and more.Source: Jerry Waddell
Planning your Riverbend Festival can be as easy as turning on your smartphone or tablet computer, thanks to PointsMap, a website loaded with interactive mapping software.
The software helps festivalgoers navigate Riverbend's many stages. It also shows location of restrooms, vendors, concessions and first-aid stations.
The program was developed by Jerry Waddell, president of Video Ideas Productions in Chattanooga, a company that has produced award-winning media for customers across the United States for 25 years.
The idea to develop PointsMap was sparked while Waddell was developing a travel CD featuring an interactive map and GPS coordinates for a video his company produced about America's Southwest landscape.
"It's an amazing program," Waddell said. "Every point on the map has all kinds of information where you can click on and it will take you to the location, give you a description and information."
PointsMap was introduced locally to rave reviews at last year's Riverbend Festival.
Chip Baker, executive director of Riverbend's Friends of the Festival, said in an earlier interview that the program helped visitors to the festival plan their own custom agenda.
"Visitors could visit www.PointsMap.com/RiverbendFestival from their desktop computers and plan their evening," Baker said.
"Once they [arrive at] Riverbend, they can use their smartphone to access PointsMap and get up-to-the-minute information. They could scan QR codes, which would automatically take them to Riverbend information directly with PointsMap," Baker said.
PointsMap is simple to navigate.
Go to www.pointsmap.com/riverbendfestival2012/ and click on "Quick Start Guide." A pop-up screen will appear welcoming you to Riverbend Festival. Click "done," and you'll be taken to a page where you'll choose from various options, including designing your own custom map.
Every point on the map contains descriptions, photographs, directions, websites, multimedia links and PDF files.
PointsMap can be accessed by any device with a browser and Internet connection.